Knowledge in Islam

In the Holy Quran the word al-Ilm, knowledge, and its derivatives are used more than 780 times. The first few verses that were revealed to our Holy Prophet (SAW) mention the importance of reading, pen, and teaching for human beings:

Read: in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from something which clings. Read and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught with pen. Taught man what he knew not..." (96:1-5)

• It is an obligation for every Muslim to seek knowledge.
• Seek knowledge even if it be in China.
• Seek knowledge from cradle to grove.
• Scholars are the heirs of the prophets.
• The ink of the learned will be weighed with the blood of the martyrs on the Resurrection Day; and then, the ink of the learned would be preferred to the blood of the martyrs.
• Anyone who pursues a course in search of knowledge, God will ease his way to paradise.
• The most learned of men is the one who gathers knowledge from others on his own; the most worthy of men is the most knowing and the meanest is the most ignorant.
• Acquire knowledge, it enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven.

In the Islamic traditions, too, there are many words of praise for knowledge and the learned.

• Do not turn your knowledge into ignorance and your surety into doubt. When you acquire knowledge then act in accordance with it and when you achieve surety then proceed with it.
• Knowledge is accompanied by action. Thus he who knows acts in accordance with it. Knowledge is called through action. Thus if called it responds and if left uncalled it leaves.
• The lowest form of knowledge is the one which (only) appears upon the tongue while the loftiest is the one made manifest by the organs and the limbs.
• Verbal Knowledge is of the least value, while practical knowledge is of the highest.
• The more knowledgeable the man, the more valuable the man.
• The most complete gift of God is a life based on knowledge.
• Knowledge gives life to the soul. Knowledge creates fear of God.
• Practice makes knowledge perfect.
• The one who engages in business without knowledge of its laws is inevitably dragged into usury.
• Two types of people will never be satiated, the seeker of knowledge and the seeker of this world.
• The best companion is satisfaction while knowledge is a noble heritage. Good morals are renewable garments and thought is a clear mirror.
• There is no virtue in your possession of excessive wealth and offspring rather virtue and merit are (awarded) by greater knowledge and insistence and by your devotion to your Lord.
• Knowledge is inheritance of Prophets while wealth is inheritance of Firauns (Pharaohs).
• Knowledge does not diminish (rather increases) with spending, while wealth diminishes with spending.
• Wealth requires to be protected, while knowledge protects its owner.
• Knowledge will enter the Kafan (Shroud) while wealth will be prevented from doing so.
• Wealth reaches both believers and unbelievers (Kafir), while knowledge is reserved only for those who are worthy of it.
• Knowledge will facilitate passing over the Seraat (Bridge over Hell) while wealth will pore hurdles.
• People are always in need of scholars while they might not be in need of those possessing wealth.
• Knowledge is a shield, truthfulness is might, ignorance is abasement, understanding is glory, generosity is success, good behavior causes friendship, he who has knowledge about his time, ambiguous things do not attack him.
• Whoever attacks a matter without knowledge cuts off his own nose.
• Verily, knowledge is a lock and its key is the question.
• Allah does not accept any act without knowledge, there is no knowledge without act, so whoever knows, knowledge leads him to act, and whoever does not act gets no knowledge, but belief is a little of a little.
• Enough for the fear of Allah is knowledge and enough for self-importance is ignorance.
• Indeed, the most knowledge of all men in Allah is the most satisfied of them with death.

God can be worshipped and served by means of knowledge; bliss in this world and Hereafter comes through knowledge; and adversity of this world and Hereafter lies in ignorance.

"This is because Allah is the truth and that which they call upon besides Him is the falsehood." (31:30)

"And the word of Allah is the highest." (9:40)

Our great Prophet (SAW) is related as having said:

He who learns knowledge for other than God, and his aim be other than God, will abide in fire (hell).

One whose knowledge increases but his salvation does not keep pace with it, his remoteness from God increases.

Any knowledge not helping man on his way to Allah is similar to the load of books carried on the back of a donkey.